Mentoring

PAREF is convinced that one-on-one dealings are very effective in instilling the virtues they impart in its students. As such, it has institutionalized a mentoring program where the teachers and personnel are assigned as “mentors” to guide the students (i.e. “mentees”) in developing a strong character.

This is done through regular, one-on-one, face-to-face, informal conversations at least once a month for around 20 to 30 minutes per meeting. A mentee can talk about any topic, i.e., goals, hopes and fears, friends and teachers, hobbies and interests, family, spiritual life, disciplinary infractions committed, etc. – practically anything and everything under the sun that concerns his development.

Openness and sincerity in the mentoring chats help the mentor address the problems, difficulties, and weaknesses of his mentee. The mentor is a guide from whom the mentee can learn and a friend whom one can always talk to.
A mentor may chat with his mentee during break time, lunch or dismissal time. Since Character Formation is also important vis-à-vis Academic Formation, a mentor may also opt to talk to or chat with a student during class hours, provided that there are no Assessments or Performance Tasks during that time.

A student is excused from class while chatting with his mentor.

To be effective, the mentor must collaborate with the mentee's parents. While respecting the confidential nature of the mentor-mentee chat, both the parents and the mentors give each other feedback regarding the mentee, mutually set goals for the mentees development and meet regularly to track progress. The mentor records the parent-mentor chat resolutions in the online mentoring portal, though ensuring that sensitive data are not included. The mentor also does the same for mentor-mentee chats.